


I can reach out to you

by Flutieflake



Series: As strange as it seems [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003) - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Ahsoka Tano as Obi-Wan Kenobi's Padawan, Alternate Universe - Dragons, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Anakin Skywalker Doesn't Turn to the Dark Side, Anakin doesn't actually show up until Chapter 2, Fix-It, Fluff, M/M, Mace Windu Trained Anakin Skywalker, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, Trans Anakin Skywalker, Trans Male Character, it's not the focus but it's there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-12 11:26:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29009751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flutieflake/pseuds/Flutieflake
Summary: Anakin hates shedding, Rex helps.
Relationships: CT-21-0408 | CT-1409 | Echo & CT-7567 | Rex, CT-6116 | Kix & CT-7567 | Rex, CT-7567 | Rex & Anakin Skywalker, CT-7567 | Rex/Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & CT-7567 | Rex
Series: As strange as it seems [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2117541
Comments: 10
Kudos: 162





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The lilting witchery, the unrest (Of wingèd dreams, is in our breast)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25391371) by [blackkat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackkat/pseuds/blackkat). 
  * Inspired by [hatching fire](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26377003) by [Adaris](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adaris/pseuds/Adaris). 
  * Inspired by [at taylir morut'yc](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26198857) by [wanderingjedihistorian (RangerJedi67)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RangerJedi67/pseuds/wanderingjedihistorian). 



> Title from 'My Own Two Hands' by Jack Johnson

Rex pauses outside his General’s quarters, frowning at the bluish glint on the floor. He  
bends down to take a closer look and realizes with a frown that it’s a piece of one of General Skywalker’s scales, the dark blue ones that run in a stripe down either side of his body. The piece is about the size of his palm, and it looks like it was cleaved off the side of one of the armored plates covering his Jedi’s dragon form (when did Skywalker become _Rex’s_ Jedi? He shoves the thought to the back of his mind to be panicked over later).

Worry begins to build in his gut; losing scales could be a sign that the General is hurt in some way. But Rex had personally made sure that Skywalker got checked over by the medics at the end of their last campaign, so maybe he’s sick? Are there diseases that can make dragons lose their scales? Maybe there isn’t even anything wrong, and this is completely normal.

The Captain sighs in frustration. He hardly knows anything about dragons, certainly not  
enough to know if this is something to be worried about. But if something is wrong, then he needs to make sure that General Skywalker gets help (strictly because it’s his duty to keep his General safe, nothing unprofessional here).

Rex palms the scale fragment and heads for the medbay; General Windu is in the middle  
of a mission, Commander Tano and General Kenobi are both getting some much-needed rest after the end of their last campaign, and Skywalker will definitely tell Rex that it’s fine no matter what, so that leaves Kix. The medic has been obsessively reading about dragon physiology ever since the Jedi revealed their abilities to the vode at Geonosis, and is probably one of the foremost experts on dragons outside of the Order at this point. If this is a sign of something dangerous, Kix will probably know.

On the way to the medbay Rex is intercepted by Echo. The younger trooper opens his  
hand to reveal another scale shard, smaller than the one Rex found and deep red.

“It was on the floor in the hangar, it looks like it came from the General.” The kid’s voice  
is steady, but his anxiety is clear. Rex’s frown deepens.

“I found another piece outside his quarters, I was just headed to ask Kix about it."

Echo doesn’t seem to know whether to be relieved that the issue is being handled or worried that finding the scale wasn’t a one-off, but he agrees to accompany Rex to the medbay.

Luckily, Kix isn’t busy when they arrive. He furrows his brow thoughtfully when Rex tells him the reason they’re here.

“Aside from this, the General hasn’t been displaying any symptoms of illnesses that could cause scale loss, but I haven’t read anything else that could explain it, and we’ve barely seen him since the campaign ended, so I don’t know if he’s started showing symptoms in that time. Our best bet is to talk to a Jedi, preferably not Skywalker."

“We’ll have to wait until General Kenobi’s available,” Rex decides. “Kenobi will probably be able to talk to us before General Windu can, and he’ll also know if this is something that’s happened to General Skywalker before.”

Having chosen a course of action, the three troopers part ways. On the way back to his own quarters, Rex leaves General Kenobi a comm message asking to talk when he’s available.

After an hour or so of trying to do paperwork but only succeeding in worrying more about General Skywalker, Rex receives an incoming holocomm from General Kenobi. Relieved, he picks up and sees Kenobi looking tired, but certainly better than the last time they saw each other.

“Captain,” the Jedi says. He’s smiling, but seems confused. Understandable, since normally Rex would either ask his own General or General Windu for help with Jedi-related matters, and Cody for anything else. “Is everything alright on the Resolute?”

Rex takes a moment to collect his thoughts before responding.

“General Kenobi, sir. I’ve contactedyou because there may be something wrong with General Skywalker, but my medic doesn’t know enough about dragons to tell. I was hoping that you would be able to assist.”

As he’d predicted, Kenobi’s face creases in concern. “I don’t sense any distress from our bond, but it’s possible that he’s shielding, and my bond with him isn’t as strong as Mace’s. What is the issue that has you concerned?”

“Sir, both myself and one of my troopers have found parts of General Skywalker’s scales on the floor, and he’s barely been out of his quarters in two days.” Rex holds the shard of blue scale up to the holocomm for the Jedi to see.

Kenobi looks even more alarmed for a moment, but then a look of understanding overtakes his face. "Ah, I see. I didn’t realize that he was due for a shed so soon.”

“. . . Shed, sir?” Rex asks in confusion. Kenobi’s not acting like it’s something dangerous, but Jedi have weird reactions to things sometimes, so you never really know.

“Yes, I suppose you wouldn’t have any reason to know about it. Anakin is shedding his skin, similarly to some reptilian species.” At the Captain’s blank look, the redhead elaborates, “He has outgrown his current skin, and so he’s had to make a new one underneath. Transitioning to the new skin requires getting rid of the old one, and since his scales are so largebthey come off in chunks like the one you found. It’s a perfectly normal process, and every dragon goes through it periodically, although there are differences between individuals.”

Rex blinks a few times, processing the information. Well, at least the General’s not dying, but this is going to happen _again_?

The Captain mentally resigns himself to shedding dragons, and leaves his quarters a while later considerably more knowledgeable about shedding and how to help with it.

He grabs a few supplies, updates Kix on the situation, and heads to Skywalker’s quarters. Apparently shedding is extremely itchy and sometimes painful, hence why the General was isolating himself. Now that he has more information, there’s no way Rex is letting his Jedi deal with this alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2 should be out in the next few days


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My teacher ended class early, so I'm posting this instead of doing homework

Anakin shakes his head irritably, pacing in the tight quarters. His room is barely big enough to take a few steps in his dragon form, and his wings and tail are pressed against the walls in a way that would normally be uncomfortable, but is now somehow both painful against his oversensitive scales and a relief from the itching that always comes with shedding.

Anakin’s grateful that they’d managed to finish up their latest campaign a few days ago; he doesn’t want the troopers to see him like this, especially not Rex, for reasons that are completely professional and have nothing to do with his totally nonexistent crush on the captain. Definitely not how good he is with his dual pistols, or how his smile shines like light through clear water. Totally not anything like that.

He shakes his head again to clear his thoughts, managing to dislodge a few more scale chunks. It’s going to be a nightmare to clean up all of the scales on the floor, but he can’t really bring himself to care about it right now.

Anakin has always hated shedding; on Tatooine it was a liability, and sand would always get stuck between the layers of his scales and rub until his skin was raw and bleeding. Shedding was less painful after he got to the Temple, but it was still embarrassing, and he’s always been unusually sensitive during his sheds, making even simple things like clothes uncomfortable. He’s grateful all over again that he got top surgery before the war; shedding had always made his binder almost impossible to wear without agony. Jaieh Mace helped when Anakin was a Padawan, and Obi-Wan did too when he had time, but in the middle of a war there isn’t much either of them can do.

He rubs his side along the wall, trying to get more friction to relieve the itching, and winces at the flash of pain from the action.

He’s distracted by the knock on his door. Alarm flashes through him; if this is urgent he needs to answer, but it would be unprofessional to answer the door in this state, not to mention embarrassing. He reaches out in the Force, gently probing the signature of the person outside the door, and oh Force, it’s Rex. Of all the times to have to talk to the Captain. He doesn’t seem particularly alarmed, but his Force signature is laced with nervousness and concern.

Anakin hastily sweeps most of his scales into the corners of his quarters and under the bed, then shifts back and answers the door after taking a second to make sure all his clothes are in order.

The clone stands at attention when Anakin opens the door, his expression betraying nothing, but he’s holding some supplies that don’t look like they’re for anything to do with his work. He has a large brush, a bucket, a couple of washcloths . . . oh. He must have found out what’s happening.

Realizing that he’s been staring too long, Anakin hastily speaks.

“At ease, Rex.” The captain relaxes somewhat, but still seems tense. “What can I do for you?”

Rex takes a breath, then replies, “Echo and I both found pieces of your scales, sir. We were concerned, so I spoke with General Kenobi and he informed me that you're shedding. I thought maybe . . . well, General Kenobi said that shedding is uncomfortable, so I thought maybe I could help you?”

Anakin’s mind screeches to a halt. He’d thought that the supplies were for Anakin to use for himself, or Obi-Wan after they rendezvoused with the Negotiator. That would have been mortifying enough, but he never would have imagined Rex wanting to help.

The captain mistakes his silence for rejection and hastily backpedals. “If you don’t want help, that’s fine of course, I just -- I’ll go.” He begins to set the supplies down outside the door, and Anakin snaps out of his trance with a jerk.

“Wait!” Rex pauses, looking at Anakin with an expression that does things to his insides that he’s _not_ going to analyze at the moment.

“I, um. You can help. I just didn’t think you’d want to.”

Rex seems to be torn between relief and indignation. "Of course I want to help, you’re my General.”

Anakin gives a hesitant smile, then steps aside to let his Captain inside.

After some trial and error, they determine that the best configuration is Rex on top of the small couch that’s been pushed into the wall, with Anakin on the floor in dragon form. His wings are a bit cramped, but it’s better than anything else they’ve tried.

When everything’s been set up, Rex hesitantly starts moving the brush along Anakin’s scales, starting just behind his jaw. He’s gentle, obviously trying not to cause the Jedi any pain, and the consideration behind the action melts Anakin even more. Rex soon gains more confidence, firmly clearing away the loose scales and exposing the new ones underneath, and Anakin wasn’t expecting this to feel so _good_.

It’s the most relaxing thing he’s felt in months, and he has to concentrate to keep from either falling asleep or making any undignified noises that would probably make Rex stop and possibly request a transfer. He can’t stop himself from pressing into the touch, and luckily Rex doesn’t seem to mind.

They both fall into a semi-trance, Rex only speaking to ask Anakin to shift so that he can run the brush over another part of his body. When the Captain reaches the tip of Anakin’s tail, he wets the washcloth and begins polishing the new scales that have been uncovered. He hasn’t been able to remove all of the old scales, but he’s gotten all of the ones that are loose enough to come off today, and it’s done wonders for the itching.

Anakin’s so far gone that he doesn’t even notice Rex finishing with the washcloth until the clone gently pushes at the edge of his wing. The dragon lifts his head, blinking sleepily.

Rex’s face goes soft for a moment, overtaken with an expression that flashes back to professional blankness before Anakin can identify it, and he carefully maneuvers off of the couch, taking care not to step on the Jedi’s tail.

It takes a moment for Anakin’s mind to remember what’s going on, but when he does he’s overcome by a wave of emotion. He’d never expected anyone other than another Jedi or his mom to care about his sheds, much less help him with one. Knowing that Rex cares enough to do this feels . . . nice. Like maybe they can really be friends (Anakin won’t let himself contemplate something more, not yet), and not just comrades.

He nuzzles his Captain’s hair in gratitude, and is rewarded with a smile like sunlight on a Naboo lake. Unfortunately they both have work to do, so Anakin shifts back to human form while Rex gathers the supplies again. Rex leaves for his own quarters, but not without giving Anakin another soft smile.

It takes all of the Jedi’s willpower not to kiss him then and there. All he wants is to see Rex smile like that again.

Kriff. This may have progressed slightly past crush territory.

It doesn’t matter, he’s still Rex’s superior officer, not to mention the fact that the Captain’s a clone, and therefore not legally a person (and Anakin will never stop being angry about that, no matter how pointless his fury is). He’ll talk to Jaieh Mace about the situation later (probably), but for now the only thing to do is to proceed as usual, and maybe let himself pursue a friendship with Rex. Yeah, being friends can work, as long as he doesn't let his feelings interfere.

What’s the worst that can happen?

**Author's Note:**

> Pretty sure I spent more time formatting this than actually writing it.  
> Comments give me life, constructive criticism is welcome but no hate please! <3


End file.
